This invention relates to 2-alkyl-1-naphthol derivatives which are useful in the preparation of naphthoquinone miticides. The miticides are known compounds described in German Application No. 2,520,739. The compounds of this invention provide an economical route to the synthesis of the miticides which were previously synthesized by a completely different and less efficient process. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,553,647 and 2,553,648.
Salts of alkyl naphthol sulfonic acid have been mentioned in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 2,872,368 describes compounds of the formula ##STR2## wherein M is calcium or magnesium,
R is hydrogen, methyl or hydroxyl, and PA1 (Alkyl).sub.n is 1-3 alkyl radicals containing 8-18 carbon atoms. PA1 X is --NO.sub.2, --SO.sub.3 H or --SO.sub.2 Cl are novel compounds useful as intermediates in the preparation of naphthoquinone miticides. Because the most active of the miticides is the dodecyl substituted naphthoquinone, the compounds of the above formula where R is alkyl of 12 carbon atoms are preferred. Preferred for their ease of synthesis are compounds of the above formula where X is --SO.sub.3 H or --SO.sub.2 Cl. Most preferred is 2-dodecyl-1-naphthol-4-sulfonic acid.
This patent describes no specific isomers and does not provide any method for preparation of these compounds.